Matrix Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (original) (raw)

1

:

something (such as a situation or a set of conditions) in which something else develops or forms

• the complex social matrix in which people live their lives

2

:

something shaped like a pattern of lines and spaces

• The wires all crossed each other and formed a matrix.

3

:

a container that can be filled with a material (such as very hot metal) to give the material a new shape

:

mold

• a matrix used for making knives

4

:

rock in which something hard (such as a diamond or a fossil) has been formed

• pieces of light blue turquoise in a dark matrix

5

:

the area on a human finger or toe from which the fingernail or toenail grows

6

mathematics

:

a set of numbers in which the numbers are listed in rows and columns and can be added or multiplied according to special rules